University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Alcântara World Café: Lisbon Public Libraries Network and NOVA University Partnership within Communities’ Processes of Participation

Ochôa, Paula; Silva, Paulo; Silvestre , Susana

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/110205

Description

Title
Alcântara World Café: Lisbon Public Libraries Network and NOVA University Partnership within Communities’ Processes of Participation
Author(s)
  • Ochôa, Paula
  • Silva, Paulo
  • Silvestre , Susana
Issue Date
2021
Keyword(s)
  • collaboration
  • librarians
  • communities
  • integrated management
Abstract
In November 2018, the New University of Lisbon, Portugal (NOVA FCSH) and the Municipality of Lisbon entered into a partnership with the intention of developing participatory researching practices related to the Lisbon Public Libraries’ network (BLX). One partnership developed through the use of a World Café—an initiative of BLX in conjunction with the Master of Information Curation and Management program at NOVA FCSH during 2019. In a review of initial outcomes, this article discusses the alignment of organizational strategies and academic research in the processes of gathering evidence for and generating advocacy toward a new library service model—Alcântara—based on a collaborative relationship between librarians and communities. This new service model aims to implement the Strategic Program Library XXI (2012), which was created by the Municipality of Lisbon. An integrated management approach was used, aligning three dimensions: a library vision for the community needs, the participation and involvement of some of the local stakeholders in an Alcântara World Café, and the library and information services (LIS) strategic analysis with students’ contributions for the discussion and coevaluation methods. The study recognizes the importance of trust, mutual respect, compromise, shared decision making, and reciprocity in planning and setting priorities among partners.
Publisher
Johns Hopkins University Press and the Illinois School of Information Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Series/Report Name or Number
Library Trends 69 (4). Spring 2021
Type of Resource
text
Language
en
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/110205
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1353/lib.2020.0047
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 2021 Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois

Owning Collections

Library Trends 69 (4) Spring 2021: Researching Practice / Practicing Research: The Public Library in Partnership with Academia. PRIMARY
Library Trends 69 (4) Spring 2021: Researching Practice / Practicing Research: The Public Library in Partnership with Academia. Edited by Joyce M. Latham and Noah Lenstra.